Request Neurodiversity Coaching
Overview
As waiting times for Access to Work assessments can be considerable, PGDiTs who are awaiting an Access to Work outcome may be eligible for a maximum of eight hours of deanery-funded neurodiversity specialist coaching as an interim support measure.
This page provides guidance on eligibility for funded neurodiversity coaching and the process that Training Programme Directors (TPDs) should follow to submit a coaching request for postgraduate doctors, dentists and public health practitioners in training (PGDiTs). Where applicable, NHSE can fund a maximum of eight hours of coaching; any further sessions required beyond this would need to be self-funded by the PGDiT or an Access to Work grant.
We recommend you read this page in conjunction with our Frequently Asked Questions, which contain further information about the request and referral processes, as well as the coaching provision itself.
We also strongly encourage all PGDiTs and TPDs to read our Guidance on Neurodiversity Support in Yorkshire and Humber.
Contents
Eligibility
To be eligible for deanery-funded coaching all PGDiTs must:
- Have already applied to Access to Work and be awaiting an outcome or be ineligible for Access to Work
and
- Have an immediate need for support, for example, a resit examination is approaching or they have fewer than twelve months of training time remaining
As with deanery-funded neurodiversity assessments, specialist neurodiversity coaching can only be funded by the deanery where there is an impact to the PGDiT's training progression.
- Where a PGDiT was assessed by Genius Within via the Professional Support Neurodiversity Assessment Pathway, an impact on training has already been provided and a neurodiversity coaching request can be submitted without any further evidence.
- Where a PGDiT was assessed by Genius Within via the GP School Neurodiversity Assessment Pathway or has a prior diagnosis from an appropriately qualified professional, there must be an impact on the PGDiT's subsequent training progression for neurodiversity specialist coaching to be funded. This impact must be described within the neurodiversity coaching request and therefore must be noticeable to/identified by the PGDiT's Educational Supervisor and/or Training Programme Director for the funding to be justified.
Where a PGDiT has a pre-existing diagnosis, be it from a general neurodiversity assessment or a specific diagnostic assessment, they will need to submit diagnostic evidence to the Professional Support Team before any assessment referral can be submitted. Diagnostic evidence will be viewed for the purposes of funding eligibility only. It will not be shared outside of the Professional Support Team and a copy will not be saved in our files unless the PGDiT provides explicit consent.
If a PGDiT doesn't meet the criteria for deanery-funded coaching, they can still access excellent and equivalent coaching support for neurodiversity via Access to Work or the Yorkshire and Humber coaching scheme.
Before submitting a request
If assessed by Genius Within via the Professional Support or the GP School Neurodiversity Assessment pathway, we expect PGDiTs to have shared a copy of their Employer Assessment Report with their educator(s) and to have met with them to discuss the assessment outcomes and the support and adjustments that were recommended. This conversation may identify an immediate need for specialist coaching support.
In all other scenarios, the PGDiT should meet with their Training Programme Director to discuss their current circumstances and support needs. At this meeting, both the PGDiT and TPD should be in agreement that a request for funded neurodiversity-specialist coaching is appropriate and the PGDiT must provide their consent for a request to be made.
Submitting a request
PGDiTs cannot submit a request for deanery-funded coaching, the request must be submitted by a TPD.
The PGDiT's TPD must complete complete and submit our online Neurodiversity Coaching Request Form. The form will ask the TPD to provide a supporting statement that contextualises the time-sensitive need for coaching, and confirm the PGDiT has consented to the request being made. A copy of the submitted form will be emailed to the PGDiT and their TPD for your reference.
Where a PGDiT has a pre-existing diagnosis, be it from a general neurodiversity assessment or a specific diagnostic assessment, they will need to submit diagnostic evidence to the Professional Support Team before any assessment referral can be submitted. Diagnostic evidence will be viewed for the purposes of funding eligibility only. It will not be shared outside of the Professional Support Team and a copy will not be saved in our files unless the PGDiT provides explicit consent.
After submission
Requests are reviewed by the Professional Support Team and we aim to action the request within five working days.
Where a PGDiT has a pre-existing diagnosis, be it from a general neurodiversity assessment or a specific diagnostic assessment, they will be required to submit evidence to the Professional Support Team before we can submit a coaching referral.
An overview of the type of evidence to submit and explanation of how we will use it can be found within the Neurodiversity Specialist Coaching FAQs for PGDiTs: I have a prior diagnosis, what kind of evidence do I need to submit and what will you do with it?
Once a request is approved, the Professional Support Team will submit an email referral to our commissioned coaching provider, Genius Within, who will contact the PGDiT to arrange an initial session. NHSE YH will fund a maximum of eight hours of coaching; any further sessions required beyond this would need to be self-funded by the PGDiT or an Access to Work grant.
More information about the practicalities of coaching sessions can be found on our Neurodiversity Specialist Coaching: FAQs for PGDiTs page, including how they are delivered, what to expect from your first session and much more,
Support and queries
Our Frequently Asked Question page for Educators and page for PGDiTs contain lots of information that will likely anwer any questions you may having, including about the request process, how we use the information provided, what to expect from your coaching sessions and more.
Should you have any outstanding questions about the process for requesting neurodiversity coaching, or questions about neurodiversity support more broadly, please do not hesitate to contact the Professional Support team.